Sneaking Down the Halls
by AULOVE
Summary: No Games In-Panem This would have happened anyway in Winter - Katniss, and Peeta are stuck in school as the president has died. Katniss's concern is getting to her sister Prim, with the school shut down with Peacekeepers what is Katniss to do?
1. Chapter 1

No Games In-Panem This would have happened anyway in Winter

"This is an emergency broadcast by the National Presidential Ministry." The announcement was being broadcast all across District Twelve. The televisions were simultaneously activated.

Katniss sat in her classroom gripping her pencil. Anytime the televisions activated it was news of some new torture they would impose for the Hunger Games. They were still months away from the Seventy-Fourth Games but already they had a visit from the latest Victor Wade Rankine. He was a cocky older boy from District Two.

He winked at all the pretty girls. Madge said he was an insufferable brute. Katniss didn't care about him, it was winter and she had to figure out a way to feed her sister and get her a present for the winter solstice. She knew an orange was out of the question they were too expensive however maybe something like dried apples.

If the baker was in a festive mood she might be able to trade with him for the apples. Katniss sunk into the chair bending her head forward trying to take a sneak peek at the boy with no one glancing at her. He was facing forward-facing the television. The lights were turned off, and it afforded her the opportunity for Katniss to openly gawk at Peeta Mellark.

Peeta was a sweet boy, a good person just like her sister. There was a light that came from him that always struck her. He was stocky, with a ruddy complexion, ashen blond hair, and the brightest blue eyes she'd ever seen. There was an invisible bond between them, one she didn't acknowledge unless it was in these small moments. Moments when she fantasized about how to pay back her debt. Katniss wasn't sure she could repay his kindness, he'd given her hope. Hope was a precious commodity.

The seal of Panem flashed on the screen. Caesar Flickerman's face filled the screen. "We have an exciting announcement this morning we received an official word Seneca Crane stepped down from his job of Head Gamemaker the torch will be passed down to Plutarch Hevansbee." The camera showed a shot of Seneca Crane with his trademarked outlandish beard shaking the hands of a punchy man with blue hair.

"We have an exclusive interview with the new Head Gamemaker…"

As Caesar spoke Peeta ached to turn around and take a peek at Katniss. He couldn't because he knew she would catch him awkwardly staring at her once more.

He couldn't afford for people to know that he had a crush on Katniss. If his mother found out he could have gotten in major trouble, his mother wasn't exactly nice. She didn't like people from the Seam.

Peeta focused on the interview as they were speaking Caesar who was speaking lost his train of thought. "I'm sorry Plutarch, I've just heard the news the President is dead."

There was a gasp in the room as the news blurted out by Caesar, fell upon their shoulders.

None of the students knew what to do. The Principle Assistant Miss. Frost came into the room. She called their teacher Mr. Lei over to the outdoors.

No one knew what was going to happen to Panem. Anxiety rose amongst the students President Snow had been the leader of the nation for many years. He portrayed himself to be a fatherly figure with ice-cold snake-like eyes. Katniss shivered as she was reminded that the enemy she knew was better than the enemy she didn't.

Mr. Lei walked back in. "Students, the Capitol imposed a temporary lockdown. We are stuck here tonight."

Katniss couldn't believe what was going on the President dead, they were sequestered in the school, the entire nation was brought to a standstill, and she was separated from her sister. "What about the little kids?" Katniss blurted out.a

"They will be with their teachers tonight just like you guys."

Katniss gut tightened, she didn't like what the teacher was saying. Sitting back her mind began to calculate a way to get to her sister. As she sat there a folded piece of paper landed on her desk. Looking around she saw everyone's focus was not on her. Cautiously she opened the paper.

The note caused her to gasp it was from none other than Peeta Mellark.


	2. Chapter 2

"_Meet me in the gym closet.—Peeta_"

Katniss sat open-mouthed, Peeta's scratchy handwriting glared up at her. Seeing his handwriting felt intimate as if he were standing in front of her. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks, the kind of heat that made her lips curve upwards into a secret smile. Her palms became sweaty, and her heart skipped a beat or two as she reread the note. It was akin to happiness.

Recalling that she was sitting in a public space caused her to sit up straight; her eyes swept the room. Fortunately, everyone's attention was still on the television set. Taking a steady breath, she contorted her face to one of indifference. Katniss had a reputation as a tough hunter. She never smiled unless she was in the woods. It was the only place she could be herself.

Her eyes sneakily stared at Peeta's back. She watched the way he sat silently, slightly hunched over, his face was bent as if he was writing or reading. His attention was not on the screen. Katniss questioned what he was doing. Was he writing another note to another girl? This idea caused her face to scrunch up as a different type of heat flowed through her body. Good ol' fashioned anger.

She leered down at the note, becoming as suspicious as Gale. Her hunting partner Gale was wary of his own shadow. He trusted no one and nothing, and she could hear him saying, 'Katniss the only good thing a Merchant sees a Seam girl for, is a trip to the Slag Heap.'

The thought of the nefarious Slag Heap caused Katniss to shudder.

The school equivalent to the Slag Heap was the equipment closet, it was where all the couples went to, to do stuff. Her cheeks felt hot as she thought of the stuff the girls whispered about in the girl's locker-room. Stuff Katniss didn't want to do, but even as she thought this the unwanted image of her standing near Peeta Mellark caused a different type of heat to flow within her. This heat traveled from her heart and spread all over her body and there wasn't anything thing she could do to temper the sensation. The heat engulfed her and her ears burned. She wished her hair wasn't in its customary braid, she could've hidden her burning face with her hair. She leaned bowed her head down, opening up a notebook and forced herself to think of Prim.

The thought of Primrose being in a classroom by herself didn't sit well. Prim wasn't used to being alone. Maybe getting the pass was a way for her to sneak to see her. Katniss needed to make her way to the little kids' section of the school. A hallway that only the staff used connected their schools.

The screen showed the

The room was still dark as Caesar Flickerman quickly spoke into the camera. "Our dear beloved President has tragically died today." The camera panned to the streets of Capitol it showed grieving Capitolites dressed in their bright glittery clothing, laying perfect roses at the gates of the Presidential palace.

They scanned to the streets of the District One where people stood pale-faced staring at the screen. In District Two the miners stood in their shafts, their hats in their hands. In District Four, the residents stood in waist-deep water staring up at the sun.

"Such powerful dedications," Caesar said into the camera. A woman with dramatic makeup and a grey wig that had sad faces woven in the locks joined him.

"So true Caesar."

"I am joined by Effie Trinket mentor to the Hunger Games, she has the unique perspective of how the Districts are taking the news."

"Absolutely Caesar, as a liaison to the districts I can assure you all the residents are in the grips of mourning our great and beloved President."

Peeta rolled his eyes. Everyone was quietly elated the tyrant was dead. However, one thing was true they were all scared about the future. He sunk back into his chair and focused on the shiny sheet of the chair in front of him. When he sat just right, he could spy on Katniss. He hoped she would meet him.

He took a huge risk to write that note. His heart stopped beating as she raised her hand. Peeta sat up.

"Yes, Miss Everdeen?"

"I'd like to use a hall pass to use the bathroom," Katniss's voice became less confident as all eyes were set on her. Peeta could see the way she withdrew into herself, her eyes narrowed, her lips thinned.

Mr. Lei scrutinized Katniss as if she were some criminal. Peeta ground his teeth. He loathed the distrust the Merchant's had toward the Seam. It wasn't fair, and he often wondered if they understood that to the Capitol they were all just another piece in their Games.

Their teacher held up the girl's bathroom pass. Katniss stood up to take the pass. Peeta couldn't breathe. He couldn't believe he was about to meet and speak to the girl he'd fantasized about in a few minutes. He was prepared to hold up his hand next when the teacher said, "You, Mr. Mellark, accompany her to the bathroom and back."

Peeta acted quickly. "What…" He couldn't let his desire to be with her show, so he deliberately played it off as if he was shocked to have been asked to be seen with her.

"Mr. Mellark, I don't trust her, and you're a good kid I can entrust you to keep Miss. Everdeen out of trouble." Mr. Lei said giving Katniss a dubious look.

Peeta couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Mr. Lei snapped his fingers impatiently, calling him forward. "We don't have all day Mr. Mellarkf"

"No we only have all night, " Jimmy Simcox snickered.

The class erupted in a fit of giggles.

"Jimmy," Mr. Lei warned. If there was anyone in the class Mr. Lei needed to be mistrustful off was Jimmy Simcox, he was not only the class clown but he had no filter, and whatever came into his brain he said.

"What it's true," Jimmy shrugged. He gave Mr. Lei a challenging look. "We're trapped here all night long with no food or a warm bed or blankets. So what is the school going to do for us?"

Peeta watched Katniss quickly make her way out. Peeta got up and quickly followed, taking the other pass. As he left he heard the teacher say. "Say one more outrageous thing Simcox and you're headed to the Principal's office."

"Does he have food and a warm bed to sleep in?" Jimmy snickered back, and this got the class riled up. The door closed and Peeta chased Katniss down the hall.

"Katniss, wait."

"Wait," Katniss spun around on him, her braid hitting his face. "If you don't want to be seen with me, why write the note!"

Her eyes were the color of molten silver Peeta thought she looked glorious and his eyes took in every feature. He wanted to commit them to memory so that he could draw the glorious goddess that she was. Peeta opened his mouth even as his brain tried to come up with a solid reason. "I did it so that no one would suspect."

"Suspect what," she backed him up against the locker wall.

"That I will help you sneak to see your sister."

* * *

This story is for Oakfamer12 I posted it for Everalrk Christmas Fic Exchange. Enjoy! Thank you for the reception and I do not own the Hunger Games


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